Feeling as though we were on an ordinary date, I stared down at his hand until Moon Dowon gave a short nod.
“What are you doing? Take it.”
Clearing my flustered expression at his urging gaze, I lightly placed my palm over the one he held out.
Moon Dowon gently interlaced our fingers and gave my hand a firm squeeze.
“…Why the sudden request to hold hands?”
“I saw it on the internet. Everyone seems to do it.”
Moon Dowon replied bluntly, pointing out that the couples passing by were doing the same.
His tone was different from the gentle smile he had shown moments ago.
I had held hands with Yoo Joohwan and Kang Taeyun before, but this was the first time I had held hands with Moon Dowon in such a serious, deliberate way.
Being out in public made the sensation entirely different.
“Is there anything you want to eat?”
“What about you?”
“I asked you first.”
Because I was nervous, his words didn’t quite register at first.
I told him I’d eat anything and followed him, my body feeling a bit stiff.
Though my movements might have looked unnatural, I couldn’t stop the quiet fluttering in my chest.
As I followed him in silence, I noticed a couple in the distance watching me intently.
Wondering what was wrong, I met their eyes, and they made a strange gesture toward me.
After deciphering it, it seemed to mean: ‘Blink if you’re in danger.’
They clearly thought I was being dragged along against my will.
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Just because.”
I shook my head.
Moon Dowon’s image was quite fierce, and the sight of me—a non-Omega—holding hands with an Alpha was likely very unfamiliar to them.
Add to that my stiff walking, and it must have looked like an emergency to outsiders.
Still, since we were supposed to be lovers, I didn’t want Moon Dowon to be misunderstood.
I stopped walking and looked up at him with a smile.
“Dowon. Am I not allowed to laugh?”
“Why laugh for no reason?”
“Just… I thought it would be nice to smile at a time like this.”
I thought it would make him look more friendly and less threatening.
On the other hand, Moon Dowon frowned slightly as if he disapproved, letting out a long sigh.
“I’ll just look foolish.”
“No, you won’t. I think you’d look even more handsome.”
“You’re asking for something difficult. I’ll try.”
He didn’t mean he would smile right away, but he pulled the hand he was holding to lead me forward.
Just when I thought he was being indifferent again, I saw his lips twitch.
He seemed to be contemplating exactly when he should trigger a smile.
Just as I was thinking his earnestness was cute, he stopped in front of a street stall.
“Do you want to eat ice cre—”
“No!”
I shouted the answer before he could even finish the word.
Just the word “ice cream” brought Yoo Joohwan to mind.
The ice cream he had prepared in various sizes was still a shock to my system, and my mouth still felt like it ached just thinking about it.
Not that I hated that day, though.
It was certain that for both Yoo Joohwan and me, it remained an unforgettable memory.
“Why was that answer so fast?”
“We’re going to eat dinner soon. I don’t usually like snacking right before a meal.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Let’s just go sit on that bench over there and rest for a bit.”
I pointed to a nearby empty bench and pulled Moon Dowon toward it.
Because he wouldn’t let go of my hand, it looked like I was the one dragging him, but he matched my pace effortlessly as we sat down.
Perhaps because the spot was under the shade of a tree, the faint breeze felt refreshing.
“Hey, Dowon. Can you let go of my hand for a second?”
“We’ve barely been holding them for any time at all.”
Moon Dowon showed his distaste and gripped my hand even tighter.
When I made a pained expression because the circulation was being cut off, only then did he belatedly release his grip.
“Sorry.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“I’m planning to call the movers tomorrow. Your things will be moved to my place as discussed. I’ve already told the others, so there won’t be any problems.”
“Isn’t tomorrow too fast? It’s a bit sudden… Can’t you give me two more days of breathing room?”
“That’s the day we’re meeting Kim Seunghyun.”
“Doesn’t that make it fine? The company will handle the move on their own.”
I smiled preemptively, worried he might refuse because it would be too chaotic.
When I gave him a gentle smile that made it hard to say no, Moon Dowon leaned back against the bench and nodded.
It was a sign for me to do as I pleased.
“Can you give me the business card for the moving company?”
“Why do you need that?”
“Since it’s my stuff, I thought I should at least know. You know I carry cash around. The cash you gave me is at home too, so I’m a bit anxious… If any important items go missing, I need a way to contact them.”
“Then you can just contact me.”
He meant that since we were going to live together, there was no need for a separate contact number.
However, because I absolutely needed it, I gave him a pleading look while listing various reasons.
“Fine, whatever. I’ll text the number to you.”
“Thank you.”
“Then give me a kiss.”
“…Here? There are so many people.”
I would have done anything else, but skinship in a place crowded with people was too much.
Aside from the embarrassment, public displays of affection were difficult for me.
When I looked troubled, Moon Dowon leaned forward and laughed.
“I’m joking. I told you. I won’t do things you dislike.”
Moon Dowon murmured lowly and stood up.
Thinking he was about to move to another location, I stood up with him, only for my wrist to be caught.
“It just has to be somewhere no one is looking, right?”
Before I could question him, Moon Dowon pulled me behind a tree next to the bench.
The dense stone wall behind it blocked us from everyone’s view.
“No one is looking. There shouldn’t be any problem. Is there something else bothering you?”
“…No.”
Whether he really wanted that kiss that badly or not, Moon Dowon had me pinned between the trees.
The sound of rustling leaves carried by the gentle breeze echoed in my ears.
“Dowon.”
As I called his name softly, Moon Dowon stared down at me.
Like the sunlight filtering through the leaves was centering on him, his surroundings seemed to sparkle.
Perhaps it was because we were outdoors instead of at home.
I bit my lip slightly as I felt my heart thumping loudly.
“If a peck isn’t enough, you can give me a real kiss.”
“…What if someone comes by while we’re doing this?”
“They won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
When I questioned his confident tone, Moon Dowon gave a smirk.
I blinked blankly at the light laughter that felt like a short intake of breath, and Moon Dowon gently stroked my cheek.
“Pheromones.”
At that short but meaningful word, I realized that Moon Dowon was releasing a heavy amount of pheromones to ward off the surroundings.
While it was usually good that I couldn’t smell them, a part of me felt a bit disappointed.
“What do you smell like?”
“Acacia.”
“It must be sweet.”
“Not really.”
Moon Dowon slowly moved his hand from my cheek to tilt my chin up.
He looked down at my naturally parted lips and wore a ticklish smile.
“Am I a bit cool right now?”
“…….”
“Why aren’t you saying anything? You’re the one who said I’d look better if I smiled.”
Of course, I had said that, but hearing it directly like this felt strange.
In one sense, it made me so embarrassed I wanted to curl up, but on the other hand, my racing heart felt like a flutter of excitement.
He had caught my eye when he was wearing that rash guard, and I didn’t hate Moon Dowon for saying things like this.
“Yes. You’re cool. So smile often.”
I smiled back, my eyes curving into soft crescents.
Moon Dowon looked dazed, as if a screw had come loose, then let out a long breath and ran a hand through his hair.
“They say sexual desire increases when you fall in love. That was true from the start, but right now you’re so cute I’m going crazy. What should I do?”
“…Dowon.”
“I feel like I want to keep you all to myself, like I want to carry you around in my pocket.”
Moon Dowon sent me a gaze filled with possessiveness, as if he didn’t want to share me with anyone.
Since Moon Dowon was someone who usually enjoyed watching from a distance or through a window, this change felt entirely new.
Still, a pocket?
I’m not a hamster.
Looking at Moon Dowon as he spoke with such a serious face, I felt a heavy squeeze in my heart.
‘This is the last time…’
Thinking I wanted to give him what he wanted, I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to Moon Dowon’s mouth.
Chu—
At the light contact of our lips, Moon Dowon’s eyes widened.
He seemed very surprised.
“…So this is what it feels like. The feeling of going crazy because someone is so lovely.”
Moon Dowon, looking like a man who had reached a deep realization, turned his head away with his ears turning bright red, covering his mouth with his hand.
